Kaiyako Dreamsnow
Energetic young tiefling striving to overcome her dark heritage. Sicut cinis in ignes, modo veritas manet. Quod veritas non igne. Quid aliquis pugnat, quia unum etiam amat? Invenit uno de valore in amore. Reliqui omniu posse uri. Vidim adolebitque ea. ''- Kaiyako's Song, Original Infernal ''Ashes from the flames, the truth is what remains.The truth is what you save, from the fire. Yes, you fight for what you love, no matter if it hurts, you find out what it's worth, and you let the rest burn. - Egronian Translation History Early Childhood When Kaiyako was born to House Dreamsnow, nobody was sure exactly where she came from. She arrived in a basket on the door with little save a note, and to everyone's surprised one of the shyer scions of the Dreamsnow claimed her as his own. Etheldor Dreamsnow wasn't an important member of the house, so his indiscretion was tolerated, albeit with reluctance. Further complicating the matter, he refused to ever wed--insisting that he'd only marry the woman he loved--the mother of his daughter, even though she was nowhere to be found. Consequently, Kaiyako was a little bit of a black sheep, but she was officially recognized as a Dreamsnow--not of the primary lineage and not the heir to a large fortune, but a Dreamsnow nonetheless. While Kaiyako does not recall the precise location of her birth, she's proved to be exceptionally free-spirited even as a little girl. It took an exceptional amount of effort to control her impulses. In fact, it was often easier to keep her on a long leash--as she loved to experience things for herself before accepting the truth behind them. She enjoyed the company of her father as much as any small child, but there was one secret she found too difficult to ever share with him: the voices. Most of the time, the voices were silent. The first time Kaiyako remembered hearing them was when she'd stumbled into another girl. Despite all the time that's passed, despite the void into which most of the details fell, she still remembers that first moment--the moment when her thoughts mingled with those of another, and the first of the Voices as she came to call them. Help me! Mommy, where are you! I'm scared, Mommy... Please find me! I don't want to be out here anymore... It's scary! Don't leave me... Please... Come back to meeee! Don't be silly, Kaiyako thought. They always come back. It's like, their thing. Even when I try and hide they find me. So why worry about it? B-but... What if they don't? What if it's just me alone here forever... Mommy's never coming back! W-what do I do!? Then you wait here, and someone will come and you'll have a new home... Wait, you can hear me? Y-you're in my head... No I'm not... You're in MY head! Kaiyako was only 7 when she learned that the Voices were not only speaking into her mind, but they could hear her thoughts as well. She grew determined to experiment--and quickly found that it only worked when she was touching someone who's thoughts she wanted to hear. Or at least, everyone save for a single Voice. That lone Voice would speak to her, even when she was alone. It had some...quite strange ideas about her life, and yet... Oddly enough? The Voice seemed to understand her as much, if not more, than anyone else had before. It never told her to do anything she knew she shouldn't, and more often than not it's suggestions lined up with things she found she'd already wanted to do. The Voice helped her tap deep within herself, until she produced her first cantrip--a small breeze that swirled around her, helping to keep a bit of the summer heat away. When she showed her parents, they'd found her a tutor--who'd begun showing her spellbooks and helping her interpret them. Young Adulthood As Kaiyako grew older, she slowly began to drift away from her father . It's not that she stopped caring for him, but she felt as if he could never really understand what it was she wanted--or why there were some things she needed to do that she just could not explain. She almost told him about the Voice, but every time she choked. If he knew about the Voice, he'd only worry more, and there was no reason to do that to either of them over nothing. She began to rely on the Voice as a source of advice separate from her teachers and father--and it responded by helping her bridge the gaps within her magics. With her father's help, she continued to learn the bow, and the strange written magic that went along with it. It didn't feel as natural as the inner magic the Voice had helped her unlock, but it felt good to combine two things she enjoyed. Most of the world was not as accepting of tiefling as her father was, however. Most of them either wanted to use her, or assumed she was trying to use them. Sometimes it was easier just to let them make these assumptions than set them straight, even when she really did mean well! There was always someone who assumed she had some ulterior motive, some hidden agenda, some calculating intelligence behind every action. She countered by trying to appear even more naive, hoping to leave those doubts behind. As that has starten to prove insufficient, she's starting to consider other options, including claiming minor ulterior motives that will convince most to drop the subject. After all, it's easier to let people find what they are looking for than convince them you are something entirely different. Early Adventuring Her first adventure led her to the mines of Jarl Halmon, where she and a group of adventures delved in search of a mystic key capable of unlocking a mysterious vault for a man named Skyseeker. The demons weren't very friendly, but recognized their kinship (which was an unsettling thought in and of itself). After a drawn out fight (which proved that only carrying normal arrows might not be wise), they returned with the mystic key and a sample of some glowing crystals found within. This crystal was her first trophy, and resulted in a mining agreement between the Jarl and Skyseeker. Only a few days later, Kein came to her with an unusual request--there'd been a murder in Haven, and he wanted help tracking down the culprit! The trail stank of fiendish influences and ran them around the poorer districts before venturing out into the city's outskirts. After a slight detour to a temple full of handsy orcs they finally discovered the murdered hiding in a forgotten chamber beneath a ruined fortress. Despite her best attempts at minimizing casualties, all the offending orcs as well as the murdered were slain, and a few of her companions objected to her attempted methods. Attempting to weaponize attractiveness proved more difficult than she'd thought, and she realized that her technique needed more refining if she was to not only keep herself safe but also achieve better results. She never believed herself to be in any real danger (at the time she'd just learned to tunnel through the Abyss to reach a nearby destination almost instantly), her companions had other ideas and since they were older and wiser it was at least worth a thought. The next big thing came in the most unexpected of places--Dreamland. This mysterious place didn't abide by the rules--it followed it's own set entirely. From the mysterious Nightmare Dave, to the enigmatic host Rika and her terrible cohort, Tet, to the Orphans the entire place was such a mystery! Exploring Dreamland proved a major source of her current relationships--although that same place may also be the one that breaks them. After all, her Starstone didn't come free--it had it's own price to pay. Appearance K aiyako is slightly taller than the average human woman, but not by much. Her hair grows an unnatural maroon, a constant reminder of the horrors lurking in her blood. However, her hair, and to a lesser extent even her gleaming amber eyes, is easy to cover up with a little magic--but she prefers a shimmering white for formal occaisons and a more-natural brown for passing unnoticed. Her natural hair is reserved for the people around whom she's the most comfortable--certain she has nothing to fear despite the heritage she has yet to completely understand. Her horns are a burnt ivory, sweeping behind her before curving up into the sky. Her active tail is a deep velvet, yet rarely stays still for long. She's always sweeping up something or other with an enthusiasm that is rarely rivaled. Her figure has but recently filled in as she matured from the willful teen into a striking adult. There is one other feature of note, which Kaiyako takes great care to hide. An eerie birthmark on her left hip which she first noticed about 4 months ago. The mark resembles a glimmering flame inked in exquisite detail, but it has never remained stationary. Rather, the flame continues to quiver and writhe silently--an arcane enigma dancing on her side. If that wasn't weird enough--she had discovered a new spell around the same time--one which, when cast, caused the flames to shift form a reddish inferno to a mystical green for a few minutes. Since it is clearly unnatural and she cannot explain it's origins, she goes to great pains to keep it hidden away from view. Personality Kaiyako exudes enthusiasm wherever she goes, never hesitating to follow whatever path catches her fancy as long as she feels it is right. While this naivete has oft earned her the stares of witnesses in the past, she cares little for as long as she can remain focused. She does her best to remain carefree, kind, and honest--but she's also discovered an exceptional talent for bending the truth. While she had initially disdained taking such liberties, she's come to realize that such twisting can produce better results for everyone--in moderation. A well-meaning word from a friend, a small conversation with a guard, or keeping her identity under the radar was only the beginning. However, even the best lies were always based on truth, and given the opportunity she greatly preferred honesty as long as it wouldn't hurt anyone. Kaiyako still doesn't understand much about the way the world works, and this is perhaps the most likely reason that she finds herself in sticky situations. Much of the time, she doesn't even recognize the danger until it's already passed. Yet she's always ready to face the next day with a smile on her face, ready to face whatever challenge lies before her next. Recent developments have taught her that she's considered desirable, and she's willing to use that fact to try and prevent bloodshed wherever possible--especially when she trusts her compatriots to back her up should things go south. While she wouldn't let just anyone touch her, she considers little things to be a minor nuisance and well-worth the cost if they can save lives. Her companions don't always agree, especially when the objects of these attempts are despicable orcs. Recently she's become a lot more thoughtful, though she would never show it. She analyzes her actions after the fact, hoping to recognize what went right and where she can improve--and uses this information to form heuristics to help her in the future. She still follows her heart, but these introspective sessions help her understand the best methods to achieve her desires. Friends Kein - Mysterious masked man who volunteered to work as her butler. She considers him a trusted servant and a little bit of a confidant, but she's still a little suspicious of his motives. Weird magic, weird appearance, weird fighting style. Oh, and he ate a guy in front of her, but spit him right back out. Yeah, he's a character. Evaer - Caylixian Dragonrider and her first lover. He's a little shy and a bit of a pushover, but he's romantic and really cares for her. If she had to go to anyone with something big, he's the first person she'd turn to. Colli - Cute cuddly cat. Very good at giving advice on personal matters, even if he's impossible to keep up with. Desmond Crowsinger - A bit of a grump, Desmond is nonetheless a capable warrior. She met him during a demon-cleansing mission on a mine. While she wouldn't share any of her deepest secrets with him, she believes him to be reliable and trustworthy, especially when demons need to be opposed. Pearl and Chrys - Twin sisters, she went on a murder investigation with both of them. Pearl's a show-off and Chrys is almost laughably blunt, but together they mean well. She just wishes they didn't have such a compulsive need to incinerate the bodies of those who annoy them. Vulae - Young investigator aiding on the murder mystery. Not at all sure what his deal is, but he didn't seem super confident. He was familiar with Kein, however, so how bad can he be? Enemies Gungus - Perverted little goblin. Draws lewd pictures of her. Will pay people to make him stop. Aspirations Kaiyako wants to solve several mysterious--particularly regarding her origin and the mysterious Voice. Who is the Voice? Why does she seem to be able to hear it even when she's alone? Why is she so different from the rest of her family? Why is her natural magic so dark and different from the spellbooks, and why does it feel so good to use? Kaiyako can't help but find herself asking "Why?" almost all of the time, and seeks to satisfy as much of her curiousity as possible. She may be easily distracted at times, but eventually she hopes to understand the mysteries of her origin. She often finds herself dreaming of leading an expedition to a distant land, ready to start a new life for any and all who desire the freedom to live their way under their own rules. Egron may be her home, but someday she'd like to make one herself. Maybe then she'll be able to help as many people as her family seems to have in the past--and if it's anything like running a manor, she knows that she'd love the challenge and the responsibility. Additional Information -Kaiyako counts as Chaotic Evil or her actual alignment, whichever is least beneficial for her. -Kaiyako possesses a strong Chaotic Evil aura, similar to that of a cleric. -Kaiyako responds to abjurations as if she was an Extraplanar Chaotic Evil Outsider with the Demon subtype for the purposes of abjurations that protect against such creatures. -Kaiyako possesses the mark of a demon on her left hip. This mark takes the form of a simmering flame, and anyone who sees it can clearly recognize it as unnatural. She usually keeps it hidden under her garments for this very reason. -Kaiyako is lithe and dextrous, but not particularly athletic. Climbing and Swimming have always been a challenge for her, and she tires more easily than others with her build. -A lifetime of being judged for what she is has left her desperate for acceptance. If her attempts at diplomacy fail she becomes sullen and withdrawn for a short time, believing that everyone despises her. -Kaiyako's spirit is remarkably resilient, insisting on forging it's own path. She may use her CHA bonus instead of her WIS bonus on any Will Save against a charm or compulsion effect. Category:Player Characters